Alberta Playwrights' Network

06/16/2026

2026 APC winner Announced!

APN is thrilled to announce the winner of the 2026 Alberta Playwriting Competition is Pieces by Jezec Sanders! In the words of this year’s jury, this play was “carefully constructed, surprising, it makes you FEEL.”

Now in its 61st year, the APC recognizes the most outstanding un-produced Alberta play with The Sharon Po***ck Award ($5000 Cash Prize). This competition is open to all playwrights who reside in Alberta, whether they are members of the Alberta Playwrights' Network or not. The winner was announced on June 5, 2026 as part of the Alberta Literary Awards Gala.

This year’s jury included celebrated playwrights Trevor Schmidt, Jesse Stong and Annette Loiselle.

Jezec Sanders is an actor and playwright who has been producing work with the Edmonton based collective, ReadyGo, for the past decade. His writing credits with ReadyGo include Hacking and Slashing and Where Foxes Lie, both of which he also starred in. His other writing credits include The Cabin on Bald Dune (Dogheart Theatre). Other acting credits include The Conversion (Kill Your Television) and You are Happy (Dogheart Theatre). Huge thank you to his frequent collaborators at ReadyGo, Erik and Ryan, his partner Arabelle, and his family for always pushing and supporting him.

Also nominated for the 2026 Alberta Playwriting Competition:

"Cyrano De Bergerac" by Jessy Ardern
The jurors found it “structurally well-crafted, articulate, and emotionally fulfilling”

"Willows" by Elena Belyea
The jurors called it “a quiet beauty, slick juggling of plotlines, coming of age mystery”

"Everyone Is Doing Fine" by James Odin Wade
The jurors called it “current, clever, emotionally and morally murky”

"Work" by Calla Wright
The jurors called it “fascinating, in your face, a wild ride with strong structure”

The Alberta Playwriting Competition is co-presented with Theatre Alberta.

06/15/2026

Congratulations to Brad Fraser, the next Lee Playwright in Residence at the University of Alberta Department of Drama!

The University of Alberta Drama Department is pleased to announce that Brad Fraser has been chosen as the 2026 Lee Playwright in Residence.

The selection committee was impressed with the quality of the candidates for this year's residency. However, Brad Fraser's experience, national and international acclaim, as well as his connection to the Edmonton theatre scene gave him an edge over the other worthy candidates. The committee members included Prof. Kenneth T. Williams, Dept. of Drama, Prof. Kathleen Weiss, Dept. of Drama, Ron Jenkins, 2025 Lee Playwright in Residence, Dr. Mukonzi Musyoki, and Josh Languedoc, MFA. The committee members have decades of experience in play creation, dramaturgy, directing, as well as expertise in Canadian, Indigenous and African theatre.

In Brad's words:
"I am thrilled to be the recipient of the Clifford E Lee [Lee Playwright in Residence] residency this year. A writer receiving support to concentrate on their work for a full year is an amazing gift and one I intend to take full advantage of. I look forward to returning to Edmonton and, finally, spending some time at the University of Alberta and would like to thank everyone behind the decision to present me with this amazing gift."

Read more at:
https://www.ualberta.ca/en/drama/about/lee-playwright-in-residence/announcing-the-2026-lee-playwright-in-residence.html

Photo credit: David Hawe

Alberta Playwrights' Network Playwrights Guild of Canada Theatre Alberta Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre Northern Light Theatre Shadow Theatre Theatre Network Citadel Theatre Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta Liz Nicholls 12thnight Edmonton Fringe Theatre

05/29/2026

APN is thrilled to announce the nominees for the 2026 Alberta Playwriting Competition!

Now in its 61st year, the APC recognizes the most outstanding un-produced Alberta play with The Sharon Po***ck Award ($5000 Cash Prize). This competition is open to all playwrights who reside in Alberta, whether they are members of the Alberta Playwrights' Network or not.

Past winners include: Ken Cameron, Michele Vance Hehir, Ellen Close, Braden Griffiths, Natalie Meisner, Meg Braem, Collin Doyle, Liam Monaghan, Jessy Ardern, and Hayley Moorhouse, and more!

The winner will be announced and the prize awarded at the annual Alberta Literary Awards Gala, presented by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta on June 5, 2026 at Wyndham Hotel and Conference Centre (4440 Gateway Blvd) in Edmonton. Doors for the event open at 6:00 PM MT; Dinner at 7:00 PM MT.

The nominees for the 2026 Alberta Playwriting Competition are:

"Cyrano De Bergerac" by Jessy Ardern
The jurors found it “structurally well-crafted, articulate, and emotionally fulfilling”

"Willows" by Elena Belyea
The jurors called it “a quiet beauty, slick juggling of plotlines, coming of age mystery”

"Pieces" by Jezec Sanders
The jurors called it “carefully constructed, surprising, it makes you FEEL”

"Everyone Is Doing Fine" by James Odin Wade
The jurors called it “current, clever, emotionally and morally murky”

"Work" by Calla Wright
The jurors called it “fascinating, in your face, a wild ride with strong structure”

The Alberta Playwriting Competition is co-presented with Theatre Alberta

05/05/2026

2026 APN Emerging Playwright Mentorship Program Participants Announced

In partnership with Hit & Myth Productions

APN is thrilled to announce the participants for the 2026 APN Emerging Playwright Mentorship program!

Thanks to a new partnership with Hit & Myth Productions in Calgary, APN will be able to support 10 emerging playwrights from across the province through this high-impact six month mentorship program.

Joel Cochrane, Artistic Producer of Hit&Myth had this to say about the new program partnership, “HIt & Myth has always been committed to supporting Alberta artists. We are thrilled to be partnering with Alberta Playwrights’ Network to support 10 emerging artists, enabling them to work with established theatre creators. The mentoring program is a vital part of the Alberta theatre community, and we are excited to be a part of this for 2026.”

“Mentorship has been an instrumental part of my own development as a playwright over the years, so it’s an honour to facilitate the longstanding tradition of artists coming together in conversation,” says APN’s new executive director, Louise Casemore, who will participate in the program as one of this year’s mentors. “I’m floored by the enthusiastic response from our esteemed mentors, and the thrilling lineup of plays proposed by the participants. Thanks to some targeted outreach for this year, we have a tremendous cross section of ages, experience-levels, style, and location within the cohort, and several new mentors in the program. Amazing things ahead from these folks!”

The 2026 APN Emerging Playwright Mentorship Program Participants are:

- PAMELA SCHMUNK, partnered with mentor BETH GRAHAM
- BRETT LEMAY, partnered with mentor CLEM MARTINI
- GRACE FITZGERALD, partnered with mentor JASON CHINN
- TESSA SIMPSON, partnered with mentor LOUISE CASEMORE
- WENDY FROBERG, partnered with mentor NATALIE MEISNER
- TJ JABLONSKI, partnered with mentor COLLIN DOYLE
- SHELDON BARANEC, partnered with mentor CONNI MASSING
- KATHLEEN RENNE, partnered with mentor VANESSA PORTEOUS
- SAMSON NAND, partnered with mentor KENNETH T. WILLIAMS
- ACHILLES FRIESEN, partnered with mentor GEOFFREY SIMON BROWN

Find out more about this year’s participants on our website at: https://www.albertaplaywrights.com/

05/05/2026

You’re Invited!
Alberta Playwrights’ Network Annual General Meeting
Monday, May 25th, 7pm
Online through Zoom

On behalf of the Shae Christie, APN Board Secretary -

Alberta Playwrights’ Network cordially invites all members in good standing to attend the 2026 Annual General Meeting, taking place on Zoom on May 25th at 7pm. We will be presenting the 2025 financial statements as well as reporting from the Board President, Treasurer, and Executive Director. We will also be electing a slate of Board members.

In advance of the AGM, we are looking for new and energetic Board members to join us and support the work that we do. We are enthusiastically seeking Board members from Edmonton, northern Alberta, and communities outside of Calgary, with interest in fundraising, non-profits, or Board governance.

For more information, to submit interest in the Board, or to request access to the meeting, please contact:

Louise Casemore, Executive Director – [email protected]

04/14/2026

A Toast to Trevor! April 26th in Calgary

We’re throwing a party, and you’re invited!

After 19 incredible years of service, join us as we at APN say goodbye and wish outgoing Executive Director Trevor Rueger the very best on his next adventure.

Come by for a chance to wish him well, exchange stories, and share some laughs on Sunday, April 26th at the Cat and Fiddle Pub in Calgary from 1pm to 5pm. The Pub is located at 540 16 Ave. NW, with a full menu of food and drink and plenty of parking available in the back.

Join us as we raise a glass to say THANK YOU to Trevor for his incredible work leading APN.

Can’t make it for the party but still want to get in on the fun? Pass along your well wishes for Trevor by emailing Managing Director Jenn Taylor at [email protected] with the subject line “Message for Trevor”, and we’ll get them passed along as part of the event.

We hope to see you there!

04/08/2026

APN CHARITY CASINO - Volunteers Needed!

Location: Elbow River Casino
Address: 218 18 Ave SW
Dates: June 6 & 7, 2026
Benefits: Free meal and all the snacks and drinks you can consume!

Alberta has a unique charitable gaming model. It is the only province in Canada where charitable organizations are licensed to conduct and manage casino events, and we need your help!

Every year, Alberta Playwrights’ Network is issued a charitable gaming license, which enables us access to valuable funding for our organization’s day-to-day operations.

Come and help us by volunteering for our biggest fundraiser of the year. By donating your time you can assist in raising $60,000 for APN in support of our programming and operations. It's easy - all training is provided on the day!

Volunteer for our 2026 Alberta Playwrights' Network fundraising casino! Elbow River Casino Address: 218 - 18th Avenue SE Dates: June 6 & 7, 2026 You get a free meal and all the snacks and coffee you can eat and drink. Come and help us by volunteering for our biggest fundraiser of the year. By donati...

04/08/2026

NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ALBERTA PLAYWRIGHTS’ NETWORK - LOUISE CASEMORE

After an exhaustive search, the board of Alberta Playwrights’ Network is delighted to announce the appointment of Louise Casemore as our new Executive Director. Since mid-March, she has been working with outgoing ED Trevor Rueger, transitioning into the position.


“On behalf of the APN board, it's my privilege to announce that Louise Casemore is our new Executive Director. Louise is based in Edmonton and comes to us with a wealth of experience and passion for the arts. She is an award-winning playwright, dramaturg, and arts leader with a dedicated interest in new play development, community building, and sector transformation. We are very excited to work with Louise and want to welcome her to the Alberta Playwright's Network team.”
- Tereasa Maillie
President, APN

As an artist who has been living and creating in Alberta my whole life, it’s an honour to be stepping into service as the new Executive Director for Alberta Playwrights’ Network. Playwrights are my people, and supporting the growth and creativity of artists in this region is my passion. Standing on the shoulders of the tremendous work carried out by Trevor for the past 19 years, I’m tremendously grateful to dive into this exciting next chapter for the organization."
- Louise Casemore, MFA (she/her)
Incoming Executive Director, Alberta Playwrights' Network

“Whenever you step away from something you’ve committed to for a long time, you are always trepidatious about what is going to happen next. When the board informed me that they had selected Louise as the next ED, all that trepidation disappeared. Louise will be an incredible asset to the creative community of Alberta. Her passion for the craft, her insight and intelligence, and her administrative brilliance are going to set APN up for the next 40 years. I couldn’t be more excited for the next chapter of APN under the leadership and guidance of Louise.”
- Trevor Rueger
Executive Director (Emeritus)


Welcome Aboard, Louise. We wish you nothing but the best!

01/19/2026

Alberta Playwrights’ Network and Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre present EDMONten, a showcase of 10-Minute plays, presented at the Springboards Festival.

Playwrights of all ages and at all stages of their career are encouraged to submit.

Submit up to two original, unproduced, 10-minute plays by Friday, February 13, 2026, for your chance to win $250!

Visit https://albertaplaywrights.squarespace.com/edmonten for more information on how to apply.

01/19/2026

Alberta Playwrights’ Network and Hit & Myth Productions present the APN Emerging Artist Playwright Mentorship Program.

Emerging playwrights are paired with an experienced playwriting mentor to support the development of their chosen project.

Apply by Friday, February 13, 2026, for your chance to fill one of ten (10) spots!

Visit https://albertaplaywrights.squarespace.com/emerging-artist-mentorship for more information on how to apply.